Gas burner and aeration pan assembly

ABSTRACT

Secondary air opening between a gas burner and aeration pan is smaller than conventional. The bottom of the pan extends upwardly toward the burner at a slope directed toward the burner port bases to guide supplemental secondary air drawn into the pan through openings in its side wall.

United States Patent [1 1 Duperow 51 Apr. 15, 1975 I GAS BURNER ANDAERATION PAN ASSEMBLY [75] Inventor: Donald E. Duperow, Detroit, Mich.

[73] Assignee: Lincoln Brass Works, Inc., Detroit,

Mich.

[22] Filed: May 2, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 466,144

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 307,079, Nov.16, 1972,

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl 431/349; 126/214 R; 126/39 H; 239/6.1; 239/568 [51] Int. Cl.F24c 3/00; F23d 13/36 [58] Field of Search 431/354, 10, 349; 239/568,239/567, 601; 126/214 A, 214 C, 39 H, 39 I, 39 K, 214 R [56] ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS Schneider et a1. 239/601 2,232,482 2/1941Schulz 126/39 H 2,928,386 3/1960 Keyt et a1. 126/38 3,161,191 12/1964Stoligrosz 126/214 R 3,592,180 7/1971 Kweller 126/39 H 3,625,196 12/1971Craver 126/39 H 3,817,689 6/1974 Capy 239/567 FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 586,147 3/1947 United Kingdom 126/39 H PrimaryExaminer-John J. Camby Assistant Examiner.lames C. Yeung Attorney,Agent, or FirmBarnes, Kisselle, Raisch & Choate [57] ABSTRACT Secondaryair opening between a gas burner and aeration pan is smaller thanconventional. The bottom of the pan extends upwardly toward the burnerat a slope directed toward the burner port bases to guide supplementalsecondary air drawn into the pan through openings in its side wall.

8 Claims,"2 Drawing Figures GAS BURNER AND AERATION PAN ASSEMBLY This isa continuation of application Ser. No. 307,079, filed Nov. 16, 1972. nowabandoned.

This invention relates to the combination of a gas burner and a drip panor aeration pan such as is frequently used in domestic gas ranges.

Many gas burners now in use have the form of an inverted closed-centercup as distinguished from an open center ring shaped burner. Nosecondary air can rise through the closed center of the burner to minglewith the burning fuel gas mixture at the ports around the outside of theburner. When such a burner is used in combination with a drip pan it isconventional to provide a clearance between the sides of the burner andthe central opening in the drip pan. This clearance provides an openingthrough which secondary air is furnished to the burner ports.

The secondary air opening in the conventional burner-drip pan assemblyis regarded as esthetically unattractive. Attempts to abate this featurehave necessitated lowering the burner to facilitate entrainment of moresecondary air between the burner top and grate but so lowering theburner sacrifices thermal efficiency and in some ranges there is no roomto lower the burner.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensiveburner aeration pan assembly improved so that the diameter of thesecondary air opening around the burner can be decreased to estheticallyattractive dimensions while enabling the burner to be maintained at aheight at which its thermal efficiency is at a maximum.

In general the invention is carried out by providing the aeration panwith a bottom which slopes upwardly from its junction with the side walltoward the burner along a slope which is directed toward the bases ofthe burner ports. The side wall is apertured so that secondary air isdrawn into the pan and is guided upwardly along the upper surfaces ofthe pan bottom toward the bases of the burner ports.

One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a gas range embodying thepresent invention, with portions broken away and shown in section toillustrate structural details.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 1with the grate removed.

Shown in the drawings is a gas range It having a top 12 with an opening14. A drip pan or aeration pan 16 has a generally vertical side wall 18which fits within opening 14. The side wall terminates in an outward rimor flange 20 which rests on range top 12. A grate 22 for supportingcooking vessels has a ring 24 which rests on rim 20 and lugs 26depending from the ring fit within side wall 18.

Pan 16 has a central opening 28 and a gas burner 30 is supported withinthis opening by a mounting bracket 32 within range 10. A flash tube isillustrated at 33. A mixture of fuel gas and primary air is furnished toburner 30 through a mixing tube 34. The burner illustrated has the formof an inverted cup having a closedcenter top 36 and an adjacent portring 3% through which a circumferential array of burner ports 40 areprovided. The bases or bottoms of the burner ports are adjacent the baseor bottom 42 of the burner ring as illustrated.

Pan 16 has a bottom 44 which adjoins side wall 18 at portions 46 distalof burner 30. Bottom 44 extends from distal portions 46 upwardly towardburner 30 at a slope which is directed toward the bases of burner ports40. Bottom 44 terminates inwardly at edge portions 47 proximal to theburner which define opening 28.

Side wall 18 is provided above the level of distal portions 46 with acircumferentially distributed series of openings which in theillustrated structure comprise slots 48. In the illustrated structurethese slots are four in number and are distributed uniformly around amajor portion of the circumference of side wall 18.

Opening 28 has a diameter in the range from about A. inch to about /2inch larger than the diameter of burner 30. Thus the clearance betweenedge 47 and the burner ranges from about /a inch to about A inch. Whenthe diameter of opening 28 is in the smaller end of this range a numberof tabs are provided which project radially inwardly from edge 47 forengagement with side wall 52 of the burner to maintain the burner andedge 47 in centered relation for a purpose to be described.

When burner 30 and pan 16 are assembled in a gas range 10 as in FIG. 1,the visibility of opening 28 is low since it has a substantially smallerdiameter than the central openings in conventional aeration pans. Aburner-aeration pan assembly according to the present invention istherefore esthetically more attractive than the conventional combinationand its marketability is improved.

In use when burner 30 is in operation. air is drawn upwardly throughopening 28 to provide secondary air for .e flames burning at ports 40.Since opening 28 is relatively small the quantity of secondary air thusfurnished is not adequate under all operating conditions. However, theupward draft of air and hot gases associated with the burner draws airinwardly into pan 16 through slots 48. As this air moves inwardly it isguided up sloped bottom 44 and directed toward the bases of ports 40.This flow of air supplements the upward flow through opening 28 and thecombined flows provide adequate secondary air to the burner ports underall operating conditions.

Since slots 48 are disposed above distal portions 46 and adjacentportions of pan bottom 44 the pan serves its function of catching andretaining liquids or other material spilled thereinto.

Conventionally there is considerable clearance or tolerance between thevarious elements of a gas range such as pan 16, grate 22, supportbracket 32, etc. It is possible for all or a number of these clearancesto accumulate in one direction. Thus it would be possible without tabs50 for pan l6 and burner 30 to be positioned off-center from each other.Where opening 28 is in the smaller end of its diametral range this couldresult in virtually closing the opening between a localized area of theburner and apposed edge portion 47 with the result that the portsadjacent thereto would be starved for secondary air. Tabs 50 preventsuch off-centering of the pan and burner and insure a proper upward flowof secondary air through opening 28.

The invention thus provides a burner-aeration pan combination whereinthe burner can be kept closely adjacent to grate 22 for maximum thermalefficiency and which provides adequate secondary air to the burner eventhough opening 28 is reduced diametrally to acceptably attractiveproportions.

I claim:

1. ln an assembly of a gas burner disposed within a central opening inan aeration pan. the opening having a diameter greater than that of theburner to provide a clearance through which a flow of secondary air isfurnished to the burner ports, the pan having a bottom with portionsproximal to the burner which define said opening and portions distal ofthe burner which adjoin a generally vertical side wall. improvedstructure wherein,

said clearance is smaller than that required to pass adequate secondaryair to the burner ports under at least certain conditions of operationof the burner.

said pan bottom extending upwardly from said distal portions to saidproximal portions along a slope directed toward the burner ports,

said side wall being provided with aperture means above the level ofsaid distal portions to admit a supplementary flow of secondary air intosaid aeration pan.

said sloped bottom being positioned and contoured to guide saidsupplementary secondary air upwardly and inwardly for delivery to flamesissuing from said burner ports,

said flow through said clearance and said supplementary flow beingcooperable to provide adequate secondary air to said burner ports undersubstantially all conditions of operation of said burner.

2. The structure. defined in claim 1 wherein said opening has a diametergreater than that of said burner i by about /4 inch to about /2 inch.

3. The structure defined in claim 1 whereinsaid opening has a diameterof the order of about A inch 1 greater than that of said burner, saidpan bottom and burner having means interengageable to maintain saidburner in substantially centered relation within said 1 opening. I t 4.The structure defined in claim 3 wherein said interengageable meanscomprises a plurality of tabs on said pan bottom projecting radiallyinwardly from said engagement against side portions of said burner to 1maintain said burner in substantially centered relation within saidopening. a

8. The structure defined in claim 7 wherein said opening has a diameterof about A inch greater than t that of said burner.

1. In an assembly of a gas burner disposed within a central opening inan aeration pan, the opening having a diameter greater than that of theburner to provide a clearancE through which a flow of secondary air isfurnished to the burner ports, the pan having a bottom with portionsproximal to the burner which define said opening and portions distal ofthe burner which adjoin a generally vertical side wall, improvedstructure wherein, said clearance is smaller than that required to passadequate secondary air to the burner ports under at least certainconditions of operation of the burner, said pan bottom extendingupwardly from said distal portions to said proximal portions along aslope directed toward the burner ports, said side wall being providedwith aperture means above the level of said distal portions to admit asupplementary flow of secondary air into said aeration pan, said slopedbottom being positioned and contoured to guide said supplementarysecondary air upwardly and inwardly for delivery to flames issuing fromsaid burner ports, said flow through said clearance and saidsupplementary flow being cooperable to provide adequate secondary air tosaid burner ports under substantially all conditions of operation ofsaid burner.
 2. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said openinghas a diameter greater than that of said burner by about 1/4 inch toabout 1/2 inch.
 3. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said openinghas a diameter of the order of about 1/4 inch greater than that of saidburner, said pan bottom and burner having means interengageable tomaintain said burner in substantially centered relation within saidopening.
 4. The structure defined in claim 3 wherein saidinterengageable means comprises a plurality of tabs on said pan bottomprojecting radially inwardly from said proximal portions and beingengageable against side portions of said burner.
 5. The structuredefined in claim 1 wherein said side wall has a plurality of aperturesdistributed equally around the periphery of said side wall.
 6. Thestructure defined in claim 5 wherein said apertures comprisecircumferential slots extending around the major portion of saidperiphery.
 7. The structure defined in claim 6 wherein said pan bottomhas a plurality of tabs projecting radially inwardly from said proximalportions and positioned for engagement against side portions of saidburner to maintain said burner in substantially centered relation withinsaid opening.
 8. The structure defined in claim 7 wherein said openinghas a diameter of about 1/4 inch greater than that of said burner.